nAnmugan thiruvandhAdhi-34

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Sri Parthasarathi thunai

Srimathe ramanujaya Namaha

Srimad Vara Vara munayE Namaha

Sri vAnAchala mahA munayE Namaha

 

Paasuram-25

 

“vagaiyAl madhiyAdhu maNkoNdAi maRRum

vagaiyAl varuvathonruNdE- vagaiyAl

vayiram kuzhaiththuNNum mAvali thAnennum

vayira vazhakozhiththAi maRRu”

 

All the actions of emperuman are for the benefit of his devotees and

nothing for himself declares azhvar in this paasuram.

 

(vagaiyAl maNkoNdAi) MahAbali was a very generous person. This great

quality in him prevented emperuman from killing him. But at the same

time emperuman had given a word to Indra that he would get him back

his wealth from mahabali. So emperuman decided to even sacrifice his

dignity for accomplishing both the above tasks. He went in front of

mahabali as a small brahmachari and asked for alms and tactically

measured the three worlds and got back Indra his wealth.

 

(vagaiyAl) This indicates to the smartness of the small boy who

beautifully and tactfully got even the asura to his fold.

 

(madhiyAdhu maNkoNdAi) Without any difficulty he measured the worlds

with great ease (“anAyAsEna koNdAi” says Sri PeriyavAchan pillai).

Not worrying about the asura or his greatness being reduced emperuman

accomplished his task.

 

(maRRu) Further this act of emperuman was not only for the benefit of

Indra but also for the benefit of mahabali. Though he was an asura

he had bhakthi towards emperuman so emperuman wanted to do good to

him.

 

(vagaiyAl vayiram kuzhaiththuNNum mAvali) If we eat diamond directly

then it will become a poison but to add strength to the body mahabali

mixed the diamond powder with other medicines thereby strengthening

the body the house of ahamkaram.

 

(mAvali thAnennum vayira vazhakku ozhiththAi) Emperuman shattered the

ego of that mAvali and made him bow and measured his head with his

divine feet. Though mahavali outwardly showed a bhakthi towards the

lord he was filled with ego with made him act against the lord’s

words, thereby becoming an enemy. The lord himself declares,

“AgyAchEbi mama drOhi mathbhakthOpi na vaishnavA:”

(maRRum vagaiyAl varuvathonruNdE) Rearranged as (anvayam)-vagaiyal

varuvadhu maRRum ondru vundE. By all these acts what have you

achieved? You have done these only for the benefit of your devotees.

 

(To Be Continued)

 

Azhvar emperumAnAr Jeeyer thiruvadigalE sharaNam

 

Adiyen ramanuja dAsee

Sumithra Varadarajan